12th Fret
Nut
Bridge
These distances should be the same
www.PyleUSA.com
5
CHECK TAILPIECE POSITION
When the tension on the banjo head is correct, the base of the tailpiece should
be about 2 – 3 mm (5⁄64" to 1⁄8") above the tension hoop.
Check the adjusting screw to change the tension of the strings.
Tighten this screw only to minimum tension, just enough not to be loose.
After that, try the strings and the head to see if they have held their tuning again.
PUT THE BRIDGE ON AND TUNE THE BANJO
On most five-string banjos the bridge should be 12"-13" from the twelfth fret. Figure out which end of the bridge needs
to go under the skinny strings, put the bridge under the strings, and start tightening the strings until the bridge stays in
place by itself.
Now measure the distance between the nut and the twelfth fret. The distance from the twelfth fret to the bridge should
be about the same. Tune the banjo up to the tuning you plan to use (usually DGBDg for Bluegrass or DGBCg for folk,
starting with the highest string first). You may use a digital guitar tuner if you're not used to doing this by ear.
FINE-TUNE THE BRIDGE PLACEMENT
Hold your left forefinger finger on the fourth (lowest pitched) string just over the twelfth fret without pushing it down
onto the fret, and pluck the string with your right hand. You should hear the "
octave
" overtone, a bell-like sound one
octave higher than the sound of the string unfretted. Now press the string down just behind the twelfth fret and pick it
again. If the overtone is lower than the sound at the twelfth fret, move the bridge toward the tailpiece. Otherwise move
it toward the neck.
